Instacart, founded in 2012, has quickly become a leading online grocery delivery platform. It offers customers a convenient way to order groceries and deliver them right to their doorstep. With a vast network of retail partners and independent contractors, Instacart has revolutionized how people shop for groceries.
While Instacart has gained immense popularity, they’re not alone in the market. There is a wide range of competitors and alternatives to Instacart, each offering its own unique features and services. In this article, we will explore the top 12 Instacart competitors and alternatives, comprehensively comparing their offerings.
Starting with DoorDash, a popular food delivery service, to Grubhub, UberEats, and Postmates, which have established themselves as leaders in the food delivery industry, these platforms offer customers the convenience of ordering meals from their favorite restaurants and having them delivered to their doorstep.
For those looking for a broader range of products, there are alternatives such as Amazon Fresh, FreshDirect, and Walmart. These platforms offer grocery delivery and a wide range of other products, making them a one-stop shop for all household needs.
Other competitors and alternatives include Dumpling, Gopuff, Vons Delivery, Mercato, and Shipt, each offering unique features and services catered to different customer needs.
Contents
Top 12 Instacart Alternatives/Competitors
DoorDash
DoorDash is a prominent player in the food delivery market, competing directly with Instacart’s grocery delivery services. Founded in 2013, DoorDash has quickly established itself as a leading platform for on-demand food delivery, offering convenience and accessibility to customers across the United States and Canada.
One of DoorDash’s key strengths is its extensive network of restaurant partners. The platform boasts partnerships with thousands of restaurants, offering customers a wide variety of culinary options to choose from. This gives DoorDash a competitive edge in the market, allowing it to provide customers with a diverse range of food choices, including fast food, casual dining, and even high-end restaurants.
To enhance the customer experience and differentiate itself from competitors, DoorDash has invested heavily in technology and logistics infrastructure. The company has developed a sophisticated delivery algorithm and a fleet of drivers to ensure fast and reliable deliveries. This seamless and efficient delivery process has helped DoorDash maintain a strong position in the market, providing customers with quick access to their favorite meals.
In addition to its core food delivery services, DoorDash has expanded its offerings through its subsidiaries. For example, Caviar, acquired by DoorDash in 2019, focuses on delivering premium and high-end meals. This allows DoorDash to cater to customers who seek a more upscale dining experience, further diversifying its portfolio of services and strengthening its competition with Instacart.
DoorDash has also ventured into grocery delivery through its DashMart service. DashMart aims to provide customers with a convenient solution for grocery shopping by offering a curated selection of everyday essentials and household products. This places DoorDash in direct competition with Instacart in grocery delivery, as both companies strive to provide customers with a seamless and efficient shopping experience.
Grubhub
With its user-friendly platform and extensive network of restaurants, Grubhub allows customers to order food from their favorite local eateries and have it delivered straight to their door. Founded in 2004, Grubhub has changed how people order food, providing a convenient and efficient solution for those who prefer to have their meals delivered.
Grubhub competes with Instacart by focusing on the delivery of ready-to-eat meals. While Instacart mainly focuses on grocery delivery, Grubhub specializes in delivering food from restaurants. This specialization allows Grubhub to offer a broader selection of meals from a variety of cuisines. Customers can easily explore different restaurants in their area, read reviews, and choose their desired meal, all from the comfort of their own homes.
Grubhub has built a robust network of delivery drivers to ensure speedy and reliable delivery. These drivers pick up orders from restaurants and deliver them directly to customers. Grubhub’s delivery fleet allows them to serve a large number of customers and provide prompt service, even during peak hours.
In addition to its own delivery fleet, Grubhub also partners with third-party delivery companies to expand its reach. By collaborating with companies like DoorDash or Postmates, Grubhub ensures that it can serve customers in areas where it may not have its own drivers. This strategic partnership approach allows Grubhub to extend its reach and compete effectively with Instacart’s delivery capabilities.
Grubhub has also partnered with various restaurants, both large chains and local establishments. These partnerships bring Grubhub customers more dining options and exclusive deals and discounts. By working closely with restaurants, Grubhub strengthens its position in the market and offers added value to its users.
As a subsidiary of Just Eat Takeaway, Grubhub benefits from the resources and expertise of its parent company. Just Eat Takeaway is a global leader in the online food delivery industry, operating in many countries worldwide. The company’s extensive network and technological advancements enable Grubhub to leverage economies of scale and provide customers with a seamless online ordering experience.
Uber Eats
Uber Eats is a popular food delivery platform launched by Uber in 2014. Leveraging Uber’s extensive network of drivers, Uber Eats quickly gained prominence in the growing food delivery industry. With a seamless and intuitive app interface, Uber Eats allows customers to order food from a wide range of local restaurants and deliver it right to their doorstep.
One fundamental way Uber Eats competes with Instacart is by focusing exclusively on food delivery. While Instacart primarily specializes in grocery delivery, Uber Eats focuses on delivering prepared meals from restaurants. This specialization allows Uber Eats to provide a more streamlined and efficient service in the specific food delivery niche.
In addition to focusing on food delivery, Uber Eats has strategically expanded its service offerings to include grocery delivery. In some markets, Uber Eats has partnered with local grocery stores to offer customers the convenience of ordering groceries along with their restaurant meals. This puts Uber Eats in direct competition with Instacart’s grocery delivery service.
Postmates
Postmates is an on-demand delivery service that connects customers with local couriers who can deliver a wide range of products, including food, groceries, and retail items. Founded in 2011, Postmates operates in many cities across the United States, making it a significant competitor to Instacart.
Postmates competes with Instacart in terms of its focus on immediate delivery. While Instacart primarily focuses on grocery delivery, Postmates has a broader range of offerings, including restaurant meals and other retail items. This allows customers to order a variety of products and have them delivered quickly, sometimes within minutes.
In addition to immediate delivery, Postmates also offers a unique feature called “Postmates Party.” This feature allows customers to join a virtual party and order from popular restaurants in their area for a limited time. This social element sets Postmates apart from Instacart and appeals to customers who want to try new restaurants and have a convenient dining experience without leaving their homes.
Postmates has partnered with notable companies, such as Chipotle, Shake Shack, and Starbucks. These partnerships give Postmates access to a broad customer base and allow them to offer exclusive deals and promotions. By leveraging these partnerships, Postmates competes directly with Instacart’s grocery delivery service by providing a broader range of options and appealing to customers’ desire for convenience and immediacy.
In addition, Postmates has a subsidiary called “Postmates Fleet,” similar to Instacart’s network of shoppers. Postmates Fleet consists of independent contractors who work as company drivers and deliverers. This direct competition highlights Postmates’ commitment to providing a reliable and efficient delivery service, similar to Instacart’s emphasis on ensuring timely and accurate grocery deliveries.
While Instacart may have a stronghold in the grocery delivery market, Postmates poses a significant threat due to its diverse range of delivery options, quick delivery times, and partnerships with well-known brands. Its focus on immediate delivery and the unique Postmates Party feature gives customers more choices and convenience in their delivery needs, making it a solid alternative to Instacart.
Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh is an online grocery delivery service in the larger Amazon ecosystem. Launched in 2007, Amazon Fresh offers a wide selection of groceries, including fresh produce, pantry staples, and household items, available for delivery or pickup. The service aims to provide customers with a convenient and efficient way to shop for groceries without having to leave their homes.
Competing with Instacart, Amazon Fresh leverages its parent company’s extensive resources and infrastructure to offer a seamless shopping experience. Being a subsidiary of Amazon, known for its vast product selection and fast delivery, Amazon Fresh has an advantage in terms of convenience and reliability. Thanks to Amazon’s robust logistics network, customers can have groceries from Amazon Fresh delivered directly to their doorstep, often within a few hours.
Amazon Fresh also integrates with other Amazon services, such as Prime membership and Alexa voice commands, making it even more accessible and user-friendly for Amazon’s loyal customer base. Prime members can enjoy additional benefits, such as free same-day and next-day delivery on eligible orders.
As a direct competitor to Instacart, Amazon Fresh poses a significant challenge with its strong brand recognition, extensive product assortment, and efficient delivery capabilities. With its commitment to customer convenience and the backing of Amazon’s resources, Amazon Fresh is a formidable player in the online grocery delivery space.
It’s worth noting that Amazon also acquired Whole Foods Market in 2017, further strengthening its position in the grocery industry. Whole Foods, a subsidiary of Amazon, offers high-quality, organic, and specialty products, appealing to a different segment of customers. This acquisition allows Amazon Fresh to tap into Whole Foods’ loyal customer base and expand its product offerings, adding another layer of competition for Instacart.
FreshDirect
FreshDirect is an online grocery delivery service that specializes in delivering fresh produce, groceries, and meal kits directly to its customers’ doors. Founded in 1999 and introduced to the New York audience in 2002, FreshDirect was one of the pioneers in the online grocery delivery space, offering a convenient and time-saving alternative to traditional grocery shopping.
FreshDirect differentiates itself from Instacart by delivering high-quality, fresh food directly from local farms and popular brands. The company prides itself on strict quality control measures, ensuring customers receive the freshest products possible. This focus on freshness has been a key factor in attracting health-conscious and eco-conscious consumers who prioritize organic and locally sourced foods.
One of the unique aspects of FreshDirect’s business model is its control over the entire supply chain. Unlike Instacart, FreshDirect operates its own warehouses and fulfillment centers, giving it better control over product quality, inventory management, and delivery efficiency. This vertical integration gives them a competitive advantage in terms of delivering freshness and customer satisfaction.
In addition to a wide range of fresh produce and groceries, FreshDirect also offers prepared meal options and ready-to-cook meal kits. These options cater to customers who value convenience and want to save time on meal preparation. FreshDirect appeals to customers seeking a more curated and personalized grocery shopping experience by providing meal solutions that fit different dietary preferences and lifestyles.
Dumpling
Dumpling is an innovative platform that empowers individual personal shoppers to start and manage their own grocery shopping businesses. Founded in 2017, Dumpling provides a unique alternative to traditional grocery delivery services like Instacart by connecting customers directly with independent shoppers in their local communities.
Unlike Instacart, which primarily relies on a network of contracted shoppers, Dumpling allows shoppers to build their own brand and establish a direct relationship with their customers. This personalized approach not only enhances the shopping experience for customers, but also will give shoppers more control over their own businesses and earnings.
One fundamental way that Dumpling competes with Instacart is through its pricing model. While Instacart charges customers a delivery fee and often marks up the prices of items, Dumpling shoppers have the flexibility to set their own pricing structure — this means customers can find more competitive prices and negotiate with shoppers to get the best deals.
Another area where Dumpling differentiates itself from Instacart is the selection of shoppers. With Instacart, customers are assigned shoppers based on availability and proximity. However, with Dumpling, customers have the ability to choose their own personal shopper based on factors such as ratings, reviews, and specific expertise. This allows for a more personalized and tailored shopping experience.
Dumpling also allows shoppers to build a loyal customer base and establish long-term relationships with their clients. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, as well as potential word-of-mouth referrals. In contrast, Instacart shoppers often serve a more comprehensive range of customers and might not have the same level of personal connection that Dumpling provides.
On the other hand, while Dumpling may not have the same brand recognition or market presence as Instacart does, its unique business model and emphasis on personal relationships give it a competitive edge.
Gopuff
Gopuff is an on-demand delivery platform that specializes in delivering convenience store items such as snacks, beverages, household essentials, and personal care products. Founded in 2013, Gopuff aims to provide customers with a quick and convenient way to get the products they need, delivered straight to their door.
One of the main ways that Gopuff competes with Instacart is by offering a more focused selection of products. While Instacart allows customers to shop from a wide range of grocery stores and retailers, Gopuff focuses solely on convenience store items. This means that Gopuff is able to offer a curated selection of popular products that customers are most likely to need on a regular basis.
In addition to its focused selection, Gopuff also distinguishes itself from Instacart by offering a faster delivery service. Gopuff operates its own network of micro-fulfillment centers, strategically located in cities across the United States. This allows Gopuff to offer delivery times as fast as 30 minutes, ensuring customers can quickly and conveniently get their essentials.
Gopuff has also expanded its business through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. One of its notable subsidiaries is BevMo!, a leading specialty beverage retailer. This acquisition further strengthens Gopuff’s position in the delivery of alcoholic beverages, providing customers with a broader range of options.
Vons Delivery
Vons Delivery is a subsidiary of Albertsons Companies, one of the largest retail grocery companies in the United States. Vons is a popular grocery store chain, primarily operating in Southern California and Nevada. To cater to its customers’ diverse needs, the company offers a range of services, including in-store shopping, home delivery, and curbside pickup.
Vons Delivery poses a significant challenge in terms of competition with Instacart, especially in the regions where it operates. Both Vons Delivery and Instacart offer home delivery services for groceries, allowing customers to shop from the comfort of their homes. The competition between the two lies in their ability to provide customers with a seamless and convenient shopping experience.
One advantage of Vons Delivery over Instacart is its close integration with the Vons brand and its physical stores. Vons has an extensive grocery store network, allowing Vons Delivery to leverage the existing infrastructure and inventory to fulfill customer orders. This gives Vons Delivery an edge regarding product availability, as it can tap into its vast in-store inventory to promptly fulfill customer orders.
Additionally, Vons Delivery offers a loyalty program called “Vons for U,” which provides personalized discounts and offers to its members. This loyalty program encourages customer loyalty and incentivizes customers to choose Vons Delivery over other grocery delivery services, including Instacart.
Despite these, Vons Delivery faces intense competition from Instacart, which has a broader presence across different regions and partnerships with various grocery chains. While Vons Delivery focuses on serving customers in Southern California and Nevada, Instacart operates in multiple states and partners with numerous grocery retailers, including some large national chains.
To compete effectively with Instacart, Vons Delivery must continue leveraging its close integration with the Vons brand and focus on delivering customers a seamless and personalized shopping experience.
Mercato
Mercato is an online grocery shopping platform that specializes in connecting customers with local, independent grocery stores. Founded in 2015, Mercato aims to provide customers access to a wide range of high-quality, locally sourced products while supporting small businesses in their communities.
One of the main ways Mercato competes with Instacart is by focusing on its unique selling point of supporting local, independent grocery stores. While Instacart partners with significant grocery chains, Mercato takes a different approach by partnering with smaller, locally-owned stores. This gives customers a more personalized shopping experience and supports local economies.
In terms of services, Mercato offers a similar range of features as Instacart. Customers can browse through a variety of products, create shopping lists, and schedule deliveries. Mercato also offers same-day delivery options, allowing customers to receive their groceries on time.
Mercato differentiates itself in its commitment to sustainability. The company strives to reduce food waste by working closely with local vendors and offering freshly sourced products. Additionally, Mercato emphasizes eco-friendly packaging materials to minimize its environmental impact.
Walmart
Walmart is a multinational retail corporation with a strong presence in the United States and other countries worldwide. Founded in 1962, Walmart has grown to become one of the largest retailers globally, specializing in a wide range of products, including groceries, household goods, electronics, and clothing.
In terms of competition with Instacart, Walmart offers its own grocery delivery service. This service lets customers conveniently purchase groceries online and have them delivered to their doorstep. Walmart also provides pickup options, allowing customers to order groceries online and pick them up at a nearby store location.
In recent years, Walmart has increasingly focused on enhancing its e-commerce capabilities to compete with online grocery delivery services like Instacart. The company has made significant investments to improve its website and mobile app, ensuring a seamless shopping experience for customers. Additionally, Walmart offers a subscription-based service called Walmart+ (pronounced Walmart Plus), which provides benefits like unlimited free delivery and discounts on fuel purchases.
Walmart has also leveraged its vast network of physical stores to launch initiatives such as InHome Delivery and Delivery Pass. InHome Delivery enables Walmart associates to deliver groceries directly to customers’ homes, even when they are not present. Delivery Pass, on the other hand, offers unlimited free next-day groceries and general merchandise delivery for a monthly or annual fee in Canada.
Shipt
Shipt is a grocery delivery service that offers same-day delivery of groceries, household essentials, and even alcohol from a variety of stores. Founded in 2014, it has quickly grown to become one of the leading competitors to Instacart.
One of the main ways that Shipt competes with Instacart is through its membership model. Shipt offers customers the option to become a member for a monthly or annual fee, giving them unlimited free delivery on orders over a certain amount. This can be a significant draw for frequent grocery shoppers who want delivery convenience without paying delivery fees for each order.
Shipt also differentiates itself by partnering directly with retailers to offer exclusive deals and discounts to its customers. By partnering with popular grocery stores and retailers, Shipt can offer its customers a wide range of options and competitive pricing.
In addition, Shipt has a robust network of personal shoppers who fulfill and deliver orders to customers. These shoppers are independent contractors who receive training and guidance from Shipt to ensure that orders are accurate and delivered promptly. This focus on customer service and attention to detail sets Shipt apart from other competitors in the market.
As a subsidiary of Target Corporation, Shipt has a strong competitive advantage over Instacart. Target has integrated Shipt into its own website and mobile app, allowing customers to easily shop for groceries and other products from Target and have them delivered through Shipt. This seamless integration gives Shipt a unique advantage over Instacart, as it has direct access to Target’s extensive product offerings and loyal customer base.
Conclusion
The grocery delivery industry is evolving rapidly, and Instacart faces tough competition from various players in the market. While Instacart remains a dominant force, several viable alternatives and competitors are gaining traction. Each of these competitors brings unique features and benefits, providing consumers with more choices for their grocery shopping needs.
As technology and consumer demands continue to evolve, it will be interesting to see how the grocery delivery industry’s landscape changes and whether Instacart can maintain its position as the market leader.